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Mr. Waxman. Mr. Clybum. 



STATEMENT OF HON. JAMES E. CLYBURN, A REPRESENTATIVE 

 IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA 



Mr. Clyburn. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I wish to commend you 

 for calling this hearing today and thank you very much for allow- 

 ing me to testify. 



The issues that have been raised by Commissioner Kessler re- 

 garding nicotine and cigarettes are very serious, but first let's con- 

 sider the timing of his letter to the Coalition on Smoking OR 

 Health. His letter was issued the Friday before the Monday that 

 ABC's Day One program aired its segment on the same subject. It 

 appears that Dr. Kessler's rush to accuse the cigarette manufactur- 

 ers of misconduct may have been to avoid being beaten to the 

 punch by a tabloid news program. 



Second, let's consider the evidence that Dr. Kessler suggests has 

 become available to the FDA that supposedly supports a reversal 

 of its long-standing policies toward tobacco. 



Is there anything new about the tobacco reconstitution process? 

 No. It has been in use for at least 30 years. Is there anything new 

 about the use of denatured alcohol? No. It has been used for over 

 40 years. The same is true for tobacco extracts. 



Is there an3rthing new about the notion that particular nicotine 

 is "addictive"? No. The Surgeon General's report claiming that nico- 

 tine in cigarettes is addicting was issued 6 years ago. Is there any- 

 thing new about plans that some individuals associated with the 

 tobacco industry have said that smokers enjoy the nicotine in ciga- 

 rettes? Again, the answer is no. 



What then is new? 



What is new, Mr. Chairman, is the feeling on the part of some 

 that the tobacco industry and all who make up that industry can 

 be bashed and battered with impunity and that the consequences 

 for all those whose livelihoods depend on this industry do not mat- 

 ter because the anti-smoking cause is just. 



Many of my constituents do not see it this way and neither do 

 I. We take strong exception to the scare-mongering at our expense 

 by Dr. Kessler and the tabloid journalists that have joined with 

 him in making nicotine the issue of the day in the war against to- 

 bacco. 



I hope, Mr. Chairman, that this hearing which has been called 

 in response to Dr. Kessler's allegations will help put those allega- 

 tions to rest and I applaud you for having this hearing. 



Mr. Waxman. Thank you. 



Mr. Lancaster. 



STATEMENT OF HON. H. MARTIN LANCASTER, A REPRESENTA- 

 TIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA 



Mr. Lancaster. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate the op- 

 portunity to address the members of this subcommittee on the 

 issue of nicotine and tobacco. 



FDA's recent actions on this issue of nicotine in cigarettes sug- 

 gests to me that the Agency, in its eagerness to come after the to- 

 bacco industry with both barrels blazing, has in fact run off with 

 its pistols half-cocked and its barrels loaded with blanks. 



